rclone sync with iCloud photos special characters

[Kuba]

Hi.

Since I got the rclone sync running with iCloud Photos, which works with the Apple Data Protection setting, I am now running into a filename problem.
I am running Syncovery on a Windows 11 machine and on my iCloud Photos account are files that probably have names with special characters.

The Sync-Preview-Window for example shows me this filename:

Code: Select all

Duolingo_Sharing_Ad6IH1uS+U3epSwaZvj8fP3L／o7U.png

And this is the error message in the log file:

Code: Select all

24.06.2026 21:41:37 Rclone: Error downloading: HTTP ERROR 404 Not Found | {
	"error": "failed to find object: object not found",
	"input": null,
	"path": "PrimarySync/All Photos/Duolingo_Sharing_Ad6IH1uS+U3epSwaZvj8fP3L／o7U.png",
	"status": 404
}
 (GET http://localhost:5572/[iCloudPhotos:]/PrimarySync/All%20Photos/Duolingo_Sharing_Ad6IH1uS%2BU3epSwaZvj8fP3L%EF%BC%8Fo7U.png) (ETGFTPErrorDoNotRetry)
24.06.2026 21:41:37 HttpsGet: HTTP ERROR 404 Not Found | {
	"error": "failed to find object: object not found",
	"input": null,
	"path": "PrimarySync/All Photos/Duolingo_Sharing_Ad6IH1uS+U3epSwaZvj8fP3L／o7U.png",
	"status": 404
}

There are multiple files that I cannot identify and I don't know how to work around this issue. There is some information on this topic here (rclone.org/local/), but I don't know how to implement it with Syncovery.

Thanks in advance.

[tobias]

Hello,
can you post the original file name that you see in iCloud itself?

What is the special character really?

[Kuba]

I can't really tell. It is not shown in the iCloud Photos web interface. It seems to be a generated file name if this filename already exists. For example: You take a picture IMG_0001 with your own device and save a another image from a file transfer with the same file name.
Judging from the message it looks like ¼.

[Kuba]

Maybe it is a problem with the path translation into the according browser url. As you can see all special characters are replaced for the call.

PrimarySync/All%20Photos/Duolingo_Sharing_Ad6IH1uS%2BU3epSwaZvj8fP3L%EF%BC%8Fo7U.png

PrimarySync/All Photos/Duolingo_Sharing_Ad6IH1uS+U3epSwaZvj8fP3L／o7U.png

[tobias]

OK, thanks! I will look into it. I think I have enough information now.

[Kuba]

Hi Tobias,

did you get the chance to look into that topic? Do you need more information?

[tobias]

Sorry not yet but it is on my list!

[tobias]

Hello,
the new version 12.3.5 includes various improvements and has been tested with Unicode characters such as the special slash from your file name:／. The rclone version shipped with Syncovery has been updated as well.

If you still see issues, it could be that the filename is corrupted on iCloud and cannot be downloaded, or that it is an rclone bug.

However, feel free to try Syncovery's own iCloud Photos connector as well.